FEMA officials wrote on Twitter people should not focus on the category of the storm - as of Thursday morning, Hurricane Florence was a Category 2 storm, indicating slower wind speeds - but rather should pay attention to the fact there will be extreme flooding in the Carolinas as a result.

With graphics depicting an intersection on a street in the American state of North Carolina, the forecaster explains what is likely to happen as the water engulfs the state's coastline amid sound effects of wind, rain and rushing water. We have wind and rain.

No active-duty troops are expected to take part in law enforcement missions in hurricane-affected areas, said Assistant Defense Secretary for Homeland Defense and Global Security Kenneth Rapuano.

What also makes Florence extremely unsafe are the deadly storm surges, mammoth coastal flooding and historic rainfall expected far inland. Authorities warned, too, of the threat of mudslides and the risk of environmental havoc from floodwaters washing over industrial waste sites and hog farms.

The NWS reported "lots of tree damage, debris and power lines down" across Harkers Island, N.C.

And now, many more people, houses and buildings are set to endure hurricane-force winds, which extend 80 miles out from Florence's center. The winds had been as high as 140 miles per hour earlier in the week.

Sheets of rain splattered against windows of a hotel before daybreak in Wilmington, where Sandie Orsa of Wilmington sat in a lobby lit by emergency lights after the electricity went out. "This is a life-threatening situation", the advisory said.

The water "is as high as it's ever been, and waves are breaking on my point, which is normally grass", said Copeland, a freelance photographer for The Associated Press.

Spanish moss waved in the trees as the winds picked up in Wilmington, and floating docks bounced atop swells at Morehead City. "Nothing's hit the house yet, but it's still blowing". New Bern Mayor Dana Outlaw told The Charlotte Observer about 200 people already had been rescued by 5 a.m.

Officials in several states have declared states of emergency, including in the Carolinas, Georgia, Virginia and Maryland, where coastal areas are still recovering from summer storms.

By the time it leaves, it's expected to have unloaded 10 trillion gallons of rainfall in North Carolina, weather.us meteorologist Ryan Maue said.